Help overcome dog food dangers: which oils for cancer??

byDemian Dressler, DVM

Rochelle Lesser, who created and manages a great site for Golden Retrievers (and dogs in general), asked about krill oil on a recent post. Here’s the skinny on why I like its cancer-fighting benefits (krill are those tiny shrimp that whales eat).

First, krill oil helps offset the omega 6 fatty acid excess I wrote about in the post before last, by supplying needed omega 3 fatty acids. This helps block the inflammation and suppression of cancer-fighting white blood cells caused by excess omega 6’s. Too much omega 6 fatty acids are found in many commercial dog foods in corn products, vegetable oils, meat fats and more.

Other good sources of omega 3’s are fish oils of various kinds, with Chinook salmon, mackerel, menhaden and sardine also being up there. So giving these oils stimulates cancer fighting white blood cells, and decreases inflammation (inflammation is a central part of cancer development). Omega 3’s can also help fight cancer weight loss (cachexia), slow tumor growth, and lessen spread in many cases. So krill and fish oil both are good in these regards.

However, with our understanding of the link between depression in people and cancer, it becomes obvious that this is a massively overlooked problem in dogs. To my knowledge, this is an area that has not been addressed in any formal way, and will be viewed at as “out there” by many conventional vets. I firmly believe that this line of thought is on the leading edge of a whole new way of looking at dog cancer.

With this in mind, back to krill oil. Krill do not accumulate heavy metals, so this is not a concern in their oil. Additionally, they are rich in EPA, the omega 3 fatty acid that has been shown to fight depression and inflammation. Krill has more EPA than fish oil. Here is more info. Since depression in people increases cancer, addressing this in dogs is very logical. On top of this, Krill has the capacity to actually restore the size of brain parts that have literally shrunk in depression. This may be due to its phospholipid content, of which krill has more than fish oil. Amazing!

Yes, krill oil costs more than fish oil. However, you can get away with less, probably about 1/4 less than fish oil. I would recommend about 4-6 of the 500 mg krill oil capsules daily for a 40 lb dog, costing roughly $3 daily. Not cheap, but good!

To be safe, stop fish oil or krill oil about 10 days before your dog has any surgery.

Concentrations and enantiomeric signatures of organochlorine
pesticides were determined in Antarctic krill, emerald rockcod and
Adélie penguin from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. HCB and DDTs were
prevalent contaminants in penguin eggs. The highest concentrations of
SigmaHCHs (1.35 +/- 0.72 ng/g) were found in the rockcod muscle, where
gamma-HCH (1.23 +/- 0.67 ng/g) was the principal isomer. The ratio
gamma-HCH/alpha-HCH was evaluated. Enantioselective gas chromatography
was used for the evaluation of enantiomeric fractions (EFs) for
alpha-HCH and oxychlordane. An increase of 14% in the (+)alpha-HCH
enantiomer was found from krill through penguin, suggesting the
enantioselective biotransformation increased proportionately with
trophic level. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured
and their concentrations were 5.6 +/- 1.12, 5.81 +/- 2.32, 4.57 +/-
0.17 and 3.06 +/- 3.27 ng/g lipids in krill, rockcod muscle, rockcod
homogenate and penguin eggs, respectively. The detection of BDE28,
BDE47, BDE99 and BDE100 in Antarctic organisms confirmed their global
transport and distribution; the detection of lower brominated
congeners suggested a potential long-range transport. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16183185)

I’m baaaaaaaaaack lol. I just asked a good friend about Krill Oil. I greatly trust this person’s judgment due to their having worked with veterinarians and compromised dogs for many years now, and having seen many krazes before of the next best thing to fix all. This is what was said:

“In all my years of research, Krill cannot measure up to wild salmon oil.If people want a great combination, they should be having wild salmon oil and hemp oil. Hemp is amazing, and there are other oils on the horizon that are going to be amazing too, for example, cranberry oil and blueberry oil (too expensive right now, but its time will come).

Let’s say that you have an allergy to shrimp and you decide to have Krill oil, you could go into anaphylactic shock!

I have seen loose stools and diarrhea in dogs fed Krill oil. I still have my bottle right here. When I first explored Krill oil, any person I spoke to, had not heard of it.

Krill oil should not be taken if you are on blood thinners or an anti-inflammatory medication, so a dog on Meticam could not take Krill oil.

Krill oil can increase the risk of bleeding, so if a dog is taking a herbal combination that contains Gingk Biloba, they should not have Krill.

There is even a cautionary note about Krill not being taken if a person is eating garlic.

As far as I am concerned, I will be sticking with what I know and what I have seen for over a decade, and believe me, I have worked with more supplements than I could ever possibly count over the years.

There is a note I must try to find you some time, but companies who make supplements have no right to say that something cures something or promises a cure, and that it is according to the FDA regulations, and Neptune Krill Oil promises many things and they are surely riding on the coat tails of the tried and true. (I spent a summer in the Eastern Arctic on Baffin Island. I don’t just talk the talk, I have walked it and walked it and walked it!).

And, I read this as well:
1. The level of DHA is lower than that for fish oil.
2. It does not act as an effective anti-oxidant in the body. The anti-oxidants present are for the preservation of the oil.

Despite claims that krill oil is “an extremely powerful source of vital DHA and EPA omega 3’s,” as well as antioxidants, it actually provides only one-third to one-half the omega-3 and virtually none of the antioxidants as top quality fish oil.

Dr. Dressler, I do see all the craze on the web of late with respect to krill, but the jury may still be out on it. And, the sustainability for these little shrimp is in question.

But, I do appreciate your taking the time to address my questions. Healthy debate is surely a positive thing for us all.

Further thoughts on Krill from Dr. David Seaman, Clinical Chiropractic Consultant for Anabolic Laboratories

“The problem with advancing krill oil as the premier oil to supplement is that we have virtually no studies on animals or humans.Only two human studies seem to have ever been published on krill oil, and both are published in a nutrition company’s journal that is indexed on medline. One study looked at krill oil versus fish oil in the treatment of hyperlipidemia, and the other evaluated clinical outcomes in patients with premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea. Both studies indicate that krill oil is superior to traditional EPA/DHA fish oil supplements. More studies need to be published.”

admin

Four comments! Okay, here ya go:
Comment 1 response: This is an example of a study used to gauge environmental toxin levels, across the board. Using sea life as indicators of environmental pollutants is a common way for groups, including our own Environmental Protection Agency in this country (and not just Italy). As you can see, both fish (rockcod) and krill have the toxins in them in the abstract you provided (and penguins too..). This does not provide us with helpful information in the context of this discussion, but does highlight the global nature of old time pollutants like DDT still being found in the environment, many years after being banned in the US. Some say the environment toxin profile lags behind what is actively being produced by as much as FORTY years. Scary.
Comment 2 response: your point in the “Krill Kraze” is very well taken. I too dislike hysteria driven by emotional agendas and marketed for profit. Krill has certain benefits that are lacking elsewhere in the context of dog cancer though.
It has a bit more EPA than fish oil. EPA has more anti inflammatory effect than DHA, a central issue in cancer development and progression. The antioxidant topic will be dealt with in future blogs (it is NOT as strait forward as some think). I am also not interested in the gobs of miracle effects krill is touted to treat. However, do a search for EPA (a component of krill oil) instead of krill oil and you will find lots of information. The link provided in the blog copy highlights the depression issue, totally overlooked in dog cancer development.

Comment 3 response: do a search for EPA (eicosapentanoic acid, in the UK spelled eicosapentaenoic acid), instead of krill, and you will get gobs of abstracts, not two as stated by this chiropractor.

Comment 4 response: this person responded that one could go into anaphylactic shock if one takes krill oil. Yes, if one is allergic to shrimp (almost unheard of in canine medicine, ask any experienced vet). One could say the same thing about any allergy to any food. Yes, if you are allergic to something, you get a reaction. So if I am allergic to fish, I should not take fish oil. If I am allergic to chocolate, I should avoid chocolate. Does this mean eating chocolate for the average person requires an Epi-Pen (epinephrine injection)?? Of course not.

This line of reasoning is unhelpful for our discussion.

Both fish and krill oil have a slight, potential blood thinning effect. However, experienced vets know that the blood thinning effect of Metacam, along with the other commonly used drugs of the NSAID class, like Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Etogesic, Piroxicam, etc, is clinically very, very mild. They have other effects that need much more consideration. To be safe, as stated, stopping both fish oil and krill oil 10 days before surgery is a wise precaution. However, both fish oil and krill oil are used together with the NSAIDS often in real-life clinical practice, including mine, frequently and with no problems by real-life, practicing doctors.

In conclusion, be careful of a reaction to a Kraze….but don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!

admin

Oh yes, one more. Concern over diarrhea is unjustified. I see much more diarrhea with things other than krill oil. Any supplement taken by mouth has this potential, some more than others. Krill is not high risk in this regard, definitely less than 10% of dogs in my experience develop diarrhea on it when introduced properly. To be safe, I recommend starting slowly and working your way up to the recommended dose over 10-14 days. Sorry, put that in a previous post but not for this one…. 🙂

You are a treasure, Dr. Dressler. But, you are lucky I am the only person so far taking you up on your mission to help us dog lovers to become more empowered as health advocates.

I have one last response on this topic, that probably only we two are probably reading. The fish oil that I recommend and use is not a combination of oils and it is very high in antioxidants as it is pure 100% Wild Alaskan SOCKEYE Salmon Oil. Honestly, I have been very happy with this oil. I have seen big differences with respect to joint issues and coat. But, again, I give a huge amount in comparison to what the average dog person does and I certainly do not use the liquid oils put out by pet companies or any of the other generic fish oils that have questionable testing practices.

admin

and you, Rochelle, are pure gold!!

Lori Michaelson

Greetings,

I did not see this post of mine (that I submitted yesterday 8/22/08) added to this thread so I am reposting it today.

This is the thread that I was ‘referring to’ in my post on August 21 regarding our Golden Retriever’s diagnosis of mast cell cancer stage 3 and pain. I also read your post saying that Krill oil is probably even better even though more expensive. I also read the post from a subscriber saying that he/she used K-9 Immunity (Beta Glucan) with seemingly success for extra months of life for a diagnosed dog. And your response Dr. Dressler.

Firstly, one has to decide to use one of the three methods above. MEGADOSES of Omega-3 fatty acids for dogs already diagnosed with cancer or Krill oil or K-9 Immunity. IF ANY. Or, let nature take its course.

Secondly, here is the dilemma in our household:

After our furry daughter’s diagnosis earlier this month I wrote to Rochelle and she was the one who guided me to this site/blog! After reading the first post about getting as much Omega-3s into the dog as possible (15-22 capsules daily) for bigger dogs like our 80 pound dog Golden angel – I told my husband about this. We already had/have a large jar of 500 mg capsules because our veterinarian suggested using these in February for her worsening dysplasia. It did nothing for her dysplasia is so we still have plenty left over. COSEQUIN worked for her though!!!

Anyway, after telling my husband about the Omega-3 MEGADOSE suggestion by you he was okay with starting her out with one a day and now we are up to two a day (after two weeks). He is way too leery to try anything close to those megadoses. A few days ago I said that, if it were up to me, *I* would be giving her five capsules a day by now but my husband’s response was that we “would have a sick dog on our hands”.

Since I am a quadriplegic it is my husband that has to feed her, give her all her medications and supplements, clean up after her, etc. and being my primary caregiver taboot. And HE recently had surgery (that is not healing) so things are harder for him. <— Huge understatement! And there is no one else.

Even though she is just like a child of his own to him (and he has three adult children) and would do anything in the world for her — I can’t see him budging on this. Megadoses I mean. And the more I nag him about ‘anything’ the less he wants to do it. He knows about it, like I said, and he read my post and your response regarding pain and cancer in dogs. So he knows about this blog as well as Rochelle’s dedication to the cause. I cam across her wonderful website about five years ago!

From one of his comments I think he also feels that it is all experimental and there is no REAL proof of trying this, or that or that then this, etc, etc, etc, etc. Only a testimonial here or there. and probably feels very much the same way about all of this in exactly the same way Rochelle expressed her opinion on Krill oil.

We both are “medical people” so to speak but when it comes to many things (including the big “C”and there are many personal experiences in the medical field) I can understand his reservations. BUT, at the same time, *I* would say it couldn’t hurt to keep increasing the dose. But I am not the one in control of that.

I’m sure there are many out there who find themselves in such a conundrum. So that is a topic in itself!

I am just so thankful that our beautiful Golden (Brandy) did not have any terrible symptoms (or any symptoms for that matter) prior to her diagnosis or now. She is still acting the same, eating the same, going to the bathroom the same, etc. etc. Unfortunately, Goldens seem to be much more prone to cancers and bigger dogs do not usually live longer than smaller dogs. I chalk it up to ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG when it happens no matter what we try in the human world or the other animal world.

Now I am off to try to find the Aug 21 post you referred me to yesterday (21st also) as I could not find it earlier. It is sometimes difficult to find things on blogs even using the search box.

Ok, how do you get 18 grams of fish oil in the dogs!! I am using fish oil but it has strawberry or lemon flavor in it and my dog doesn’t always take it. I have read of the use of menhaden fish oil used in studies (Ogilvie) for dogs with lymphoma. 1)Where do you get menhaden fish oil or oil without a flavoring that repulses the dog?

Also, a question about safflower oil. Although an Omega 6 and theoretically a cancer promoter, a small study in Michigan done on about 6 dogs or so found that dogs fed safflower oil that had Candy’s kind of cancer, Mycosis Fungoides, Cutaneous T cell, went into remission with mega doses. This doesn’t sit right with me though especially since she has some liver enzyme elevation. Also, how reliable is a study of about a half dozen dogs. They found that it worked with Mycosis Fungoides but hey were not recommending it for other kinds of lymphoma. See where I start to get crazy—there seems to be a lot of caveats for lymphoma that are contraindicated. This is why I am trying to get some concensus on whta to actually do. I do give her fish oil and SOME safflower oil but not in the therapeutic clinical dose used in the study. Her body skin seems ok now but it is the redness in her mouth and the depigmentation around her eyes and nose that concern me.

Lilly F.

Dr. Dressler

Hi Lilly,
First, try Krill Oil. Start with one bottle (a little more pricey than fish oil). They are usually 500 mg caps, so get the double dose caps or give double dose (if possible). Try popping them and mixing liquid in food. Menhaden is good too. Rochelle from Land of Pure Gold likes wild sockeye salmon oil, also good.
Second, let’s look at Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), which is the biggy in safflower oil that you are using for mycoses fungoides, in the next few blogs!

The study on dogs with lymphoma used Menhaden fish oil so I would like to try it.

Second Question: Is kipper ok for dogs? I have fed that a couple times in very small doses.

Lilly F.

Steven

Hi Dr. Dressler. Some great information. I have one question regarding fish oil…is there a distinction between cod liver oil and fish oil. As in, isn’t cod liver oil just a specific type of fish oil? I have that and am giving it to my 3 yo Goldendoodle (we’ve known about his GI lymphoma for less than a week, so this is all new to us). Currently 1 tsp (the liquid type) a day with plans to begin increasing it. I just read your post regarding krill, so it got me thinking. I thought that perhaps others would be interested as well to know if “fish oil is fish oil is fish oil,” for omega-3 purposes, of if there are distinctions in type (beyond what you’ve written about krill) or other dangers.

June 15,2009 I have been giving my 7lb chihuahua pet cod liver oil for about 6 months now. The recommened dose on the bottle. He has discoid lupus, Is this a safe thing to do? Should I be worried about the mercury content? I also give it to my other dogs.They love it. Joyce Houston

Lauren Tran

I have a 9 1/2 years old Pom, Kiki, that has extremely high liver enzymes for over a year now. She is on Denamarin and Syloxine for her thyroid. Kiki recently had extremely painful episodes that sends her spinning in circles and yelping in pain. The vet took x-ray and diagnosed her with Spondylitis. Kiki hates fishy smell and refuses to eat if I put fish oil in her food. I found the Mega Red Krill Oil softgel at Costco 300 mg with 90 mg Omega 3, 45 mg EPA, 27 mg DHA. Can I give this to Kiki one softgel a day? Kiki weights 9 lbs. Since it is in a small softgel it is easy for me to pop it down her throat without any fishy smell in her food. Should I give her Vitamin E too and how much? I would really appreciate any suggestions you may have. My baby is in so much pain. 🙁

p.s. The cost is not bad. 90 pills for $18.99 at Costco.

Lauren Tran

I forgot to mention that due to Kiki’s thyroid, the vet cannot give her the designer non-steroid anti-inflamation meds like Rimadyl or Prednisone. She is on Torbutrol for pain and Cosequin as supplement. She eats home cooked diet of fish, chicken, puree vegetable, rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Regarding the mast cell tumors mentioned above. Here’s a success story from a Lab I had who was diagnosed with recurring mast cell tumors at age 13 … about 11 years ago. We were at the point of trying Prednisone, though it would not bring about a cure, just a slowing down.

I took him to a holistic vet in upstate NY. She prescribed daily injections of Carnivora (along with home made diet, Chinese medicine, etc) and he experienced a complete remission. The Carnivora was obtained from Europe. It has also been used for colon-rectal cancer. This is something you need to work with a vet on, schooled in alternative medicine.

For my Lab now, we use Carlsons fish oil. It’s cheaper online at Vita-Cost. Heartfelt wishes for good health to all and your animal companions.

Meme

There are those of us who are struggling financially and who cannot afford the outrageously high prices for the purest of pure fish oil for our dogs. Do you have any suggestions for the financially-challenged? Note: For the last year, I have been feeding my generally healthy 48 pound pit bull Delca Corp. liquid Wild Alaskan Fish Oil that I purchased from Costco. They stopped carrying it and I need to restock. Any recommendations that you can provide would be appreciated.

Wes

The best value I could find is the Petsmart brand Authority. Best ingredients for the best price. It does have fish oil as well but Im not sure if its safe for dogs after the news on the carcinogens in fish oil.

Denise

So a dog taking pain medications such as Metacam, Tramadol, Gabapentin etc. for osteosarcoma should not take krill oil, correct? Does this also apply to fish oil?

As I understand it, it is beneficial to supplement the diet of a dog with cancer with EPA and DHA. What is the best way to do this if the dog is taking daily pain meds?

Mary Parker

thank you for all of the above suggestions and recommendations. My dog has been diagnosed with Cushings syndrome – I am heart broken and spend hours and hours doing research on how to help her feel better and live a longer life. thank you for all your blogs.

Cliff

I see a lot of articles about using fish oil, krill oil and other sources of Omega 3’s and the necessity to offset excess Omega 6 when fighting cancer.

We do not feed our dog with cancer any grains. And have taken him off of any commercial dog food due to the excess amount of carbohydrates in the commercial foods.
Using human grade meats: chicken, lean beef, salmon, sardines.
Also giving supplements with vitamin E, fish oil and flax hull lignans.

The question is : The articles all assume that the dog is getting enough Omega 6’s from the commercial food that contains grain or corn. But that assumption is not correct in all dogs as many dog owners do not feed a commercial food.
With your articles recommending the reduction of Omega 6’s, when treating a dog with cancer (histiocytic sarcoma) is it preferable to eliminate all the Omega 6 as possible from the diet? I do understand that their are Omega 6’s in the meat of the chicken and beef. Are Omega 6’s essential in a diet for dogs?

I work in the natural health industry and have referred many people who have pets with cancer to a product called flax hull lignans. My own little Chihuahua had two tumors that dissappeared completely after getting the flax hull lignans in his diet. The lignans have flax oil in them but that’s not all. They are proven to kill cancer cells. There is a doctor with his PHD in immunology from Berkley who says that the lignans cause cancer cells to kill themselves. There is a lot of research out there…some organizations like AIDS Research & Assistance Institute have done lots of studies on it. Many pet owners who have pets with Cushings Disease also are using the lignans with success.

Hello, I currently am using Carlson Super Omega 3 fish oils and I noticed they now have the “ELITE” super omega 3 oils which has a little higher concentration of omega 3’s but they contain lemon flavor. Is it safe to give my dog Lemon Flavored fish oils or is it better to just stick with the non flavored kind. Also I have a 90lb Rottweiler and my vet suggested for her to take 1000mgs daily. I was wondering if this is enough for her size or if I should be giving a little more. My last Rottweiler was on 2000mgs daily but she was also battling cancer and proudly I can say she was a cancer survivor for 7 years and lived to be 10 years old. But I was wondering if you should only be giving 2000mgs daily to a dog that has health issues like she did. But for a healthy 90lb dog is 1000mgs daily enough.Thanks so much!

Dear Michelle,
I would lean towards omega 3 without the lemon flavor. This dose of quite low for a dog that size. However, I would hesitate to go against your vet’s recommendation. Maybe you could ask to see whether a higher dose could be considered?
Best,
DR D

Tammy Johnson Mayer

Hello, May I ask a question about some Krill OIl (Organika – bought in Canada) that I bought for our dog yesterday? She’s about a 13 1/2 lb. bichon and is in remission from a sarcoma.

It says on the label that it contains no artificial sweeteners, but it then lists gelatin, natural vanilla flavour, glycerin and sorbitol as non-medicinal ingredients. My concern is the sorbitol. They are 500 mg capsules. I’m aware that sorbitol is safe in small amounts, but can cause intestinal tract upset potentially. The reports about toxicity are confusing. Should I try to take this stuff back?

Thank you,
Tammy

JLWW

Dr Dressler, thanks for all of your great information above. Our dog is a cancer survivor and we do give him fish oil to keep his immune system up. However, the fish oil makes him extremely gassy and is not pleasant to live with. We were told by one vet who was giving out free advice at a dog food store that higher EPA and lower DHA would help the gassiness issue. He also receives immune system building tablets which work great and eats Taste OF the Wild Food which he has done well on now for a few years. Rather than give him more supplements to offset the gassiness, I am wondering if there is a different fish oil we can give him , or a different ratio of EPA to DHA we can give him that will slow the gassiness down. THe ratio he is currently taking is 1000 mg 2 x per day and he weighs 26 pounds. If we give him less, he gets hot spots and licks himself excessively. This has stopped it completely, but man does he stink. No diarrhea though. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Dr. Demian Dressler

Dear JLWW,
beta glucans are more effective (found in apocaps, along with a host of other beneficial constituents). http://www.apocaps.com
In addition, try Krill oil, might help instead of fish oil. This is discussed in the Guide.
Remember to make all health steps under veterinary supervision.
Best,
Dr. D

Leanne

I really need some advice. My dog was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma August 18th 2012. She had a tumor that seemed to appear overnight. It was on her underbelly left side by her leg.

My dogs name is Roxy. A Yorkshire that turned 11 in June 2012. She has never had any health issues.

I found your website as I was trying to learn about what to do. My vet is not a specialist but sought out advice from a cancer vet. She had surgery and the lump removed but vet said it crumbled and he could not get it all… I am currently giving her Chemo (mylanthen)every day and Steroid every other day. Chemo is .25 liquid form. She tolerated and her blood work was pretty steady for the last few months. I have been taking her every couple weeks to check blood work.

I downloaded your diet I took her off dog food completely and have been trying to make chicken, turkey and hamburger for most part. I don’t think I have the diet right its a struggle. She wont eat the rice and now wont eat cottage cheese and cottage cheese does have sugar in it and salt. I’m not sure about that. I bought the Apocaps a few weeks ago and have been giving one a day. ( they are very large capsules.) and add 1/2 capsule of fish oil to her food twice a day. They are 1000 mg each. The diet I broil, boil and or cook in pan. Usually chicken breast with parsley, garlic, ginger and I found a salt free spices that have onion, parsley, basil oregano, thyme, red pepper, garlic, lemon peel and paprika. Is this OK? I sprink on meat for flavor. I just bought a powder form of cranberries to sprinkle in her food but I’m not sure that’s ok either so I have not given to her yet.

I try to get cauliflower mushed up in her food and sometimes she eats it. But I’m afraid she’s not getting the complete diet. I have been giving her treats that are freeze dried – chicken and salmon treats. That’s the only ingredient in them.

My vet told me to take her off chemo for a week and since her blood work was not good. I could not get back for blood work for 10 days so I asked him if ok to give every other day ..he agreed. I just took her Saturday and will get results Monday.

Do you have any suggestions with her diet or recommendations on what else I can do.

Shes been ok so far.. SLower and trouble now getting upstairs but she has not vomited or lost any weight .. Shes always been around 10 pounds and shes 9.8 now. Shes overweight she should be 7 or 8 ANY advice would greatly appreciated because I don’t know what to do anymore.

Dr. Demian Dressler

Dear Leanne,
I am having trouble getting to the root of your question so i will do my best. It seems you are concerned that she is not getting a balanced diet because she won’t eat certain ingredients or is finicky in general. The problem is less likely the diet and more likely that either the chemo or her cancer is making her lose her appetite. First, when you have decreased appetite, you need to talk to your vet about what to do to get the appetite up. This may mean switching the present treatment plan if it is making her sick. Appetite stimulant options include mirtazapine (one my my favorites), ondansetron, and also famotidine, omeprazole, sucralfate and other meds may help. Additionally you can give your dog a little ginger and slippery elm. Discuss these with your vet please.
Dr D

Greyhoundadoptee

I have myself switched from fish oil to red krill and find it much better to relieve my achy joints. I have a greyhound, and a greyhound mix, both have occasional stiffness, and I was wondering about krill for them also. This article is absolutely glowing, and makes me want to switch my dogs over too, but then I stumble onto this Link http://dogcanceradvice.com/2782/dangers-of-krill-oil-for-dogs-with-cancer/. Who do I believe?

Abby’s Mom

My Abby at age 13 developed osteosarcoma in her thoractic cavity–not in her skeletal system. Never had any symptoms until I found a lump towards the back of her stomach. WSU Vet Hospital has only seen one other case. I always had Abby on vet recommended (Arctic) fish oils. My question is: could this have helped to somehow have thwarted/re-directed the disease and perhaps extended her life?

brittandpuggle

for a dog with MCT is fish oil ok? I saw that Dr. Dressler suggest no fish for MCT cancer. Does this include oils?

Susan Kazara Harper

Hey Britt, We’re preparing the full blog on MCT diet as I write, but as to the question on oil:
Although the processing of the oil alters the original material, fish itself is on the ‘no’ list. However, Dr. Dressler recommends krill oil over other fish oil supplements for many reasons which he explains in the book. We have found that Mercola Krill Oil and Jarrow Formula Neptune Krill Oil both contain histamine “below detectable levels” which is about as good as it can get. So the benefits of giving krill oil outweigh the infinitesimal amount of histamine which may be present. Both of these oils are available through the Dog Cancer Shop. I hope this helps.

d man

you are saying, 3000mg of krill daily for a dog, 40 lb dog may I add. I don’t think so.

Susan Kazara Harper

Hello d man!
I truly realize the dosage sounds crazy-big, but believe me, Dr Dressler thoroughly reviewed literature on EPA, DHA and omega 3 fatty acids which supports the need for this level of dosing. A cancer situation is really a wild fire, and when something works we want to make sure we get the full amount which has been proven to be beneficial. You can’t fight a forest fire with a squirt gun and expect to get results. So please consider this, as all your protocol choices, carefully, but trust that the recommended amounts are valid.